Q + A: “How do you start learning a language and stay consistent in learning when you feel overwhelmed?”

“Strength and growth come only through continuous effort and struggle.”

Napoleon Hill

I can’t even count how many times I felt like tearing my hair out while learning Persian (Fārsī). Last night, while having a sushi dinner with my husband George, our waiter’s eyes bugged out when I told him I was learning Persian (Fārsī). Some days I wonder if I like the abuse.

I laugh it off because I am also reminded why I started. It’s one of my driving motivators. The feeling of making someone feel warm and fuzzy inside because I’ve decided to communicate with them in their native tongue is worth it even if it involves a lot of research and sleepless nights.

This morning, I received an email from someone in need of help. I think all of us have been here at some point.

Marla wrote:

Five Tips to Help You As You Learn A New Language

STEP 1: Pick Up The Easiest Phrase Book That You Can Find

Whether you are looking to buy your first language learning book or you have a thousand on your bookshelves, pick up the easiest phrase book that you can find. I have about 10-20 books for each language that I am learning. Excessive, no? Before reaching paralysis by analysis, you can skip the mess and just go for the easiest book.

The book you can follow along easily and be able to learn at least a few key phrases when you are done at the end of your study session. I find that phrasebooks can help you learn phrases for everyday situations, making you more likely to use them right away. I tend to buy phrasebooks first and then worry about the grammar and verb books later.

STEP 2: Have You Carved Out Enough Time For Your Language?

Even I have been guilty of this one! Failing to prepare is preparing to fail. Yikes! Way harsh, Tai! I find that a lot of the time we get overwhelmed because we try to do too much in too short a time. There’s only so much time in the day, and we are humans, after all, needing food and rest. I can easily spend an hour on Duolingo, but hours reading, writing, and translating.

If I try to read, test myself on diction, and then write out what I’ve learned in under an hour, I’m left with a feeling of utter disappointment and failure. Why would we want to do that to ourselves? Instead, look at your current schedule and figure out where you can carve time out for your language learning. Remember, the more difficult the language, the more time it needs to be allocated.

STEP 3: Have a Plan. What’s Your Roadmap?

Okay, so this could have been Step 2, and should be revisited regularly. So where do you want to go with this language? Are you trying to learn Korean so that you can sing along with your favorite K-Pop, or are you trying to visit México and live like a local? Those are two separate journeys. Forget that I’m using two languages in that example, and focus on the energy you will expend to reach each goalpost. I learned travel phrases in German and Dutch before landing and worried about the extra details later. For French, I’ve taken pronunciation classes at the Alliance Française (and now another course through Udemy), use dictée apps for listening comprehension, and so forth. BUT WHY? Because I have a goal to live in a French-speaking country someday. It means I have to go the extra kilomètre!

STEP 4: Write It All Down and Study Your Notes.

Post-its, journals/notebooks, and flashcards are your friend, my friend. I wanted mine to be portable, so I have digital notebooks for each language that I am learning. This way I can easily add new material and access it anywhere! I use the GoodNotes app, but my husband swears by the Microsoft OneNote app. For me, having physical notebooks just started to get out of hand. Oh, joy for technology!

STEP 5: Have More Self-Compassion!

For the longest time, I struggled with feeling like a total failure. I thought that I needed to learn a language by a certain amount of time. And don’t even get me started on comparing myself to people who have already learned 10+ languages. I didn’t think that learning French would do anything good for me. “Why didn’t you learn Mandarin Chinese, or Japanese, the languages of business?!” I would tell myself. Beating myself up for it only made me miserable until I realized that I learn how I learn, at my own pace, on my own time. I can’t read every book in one sitting or learn every word right at this minute. Things take time. As long as I was putting in the effort, I was moving forward. I learned that I needed to love myself and love the journey just as much as the destination.

*Hey, this page contains affiliate links. There’s no extra cost to you, but I receive a small commission when you decide to use them. They help me keep this party going.

---

PIN ME!